Your Pinnacle practice development team

Locality contacts Lakes Pen Blackmore , locality lead 021 413 760 Bio coming soon! Practices Ngāti Pīkiao Health Clinic, Pihanga Health, Taupō Health Centre, Taupō Medical Centre, The Lake Surgery. Tairāwhiti Clayton Kohatu , locality lead 021 121 5109 Read about Clayton here. Practices City Medical Gisborne, De Lautour Medical, The Doctors Te Whare Hapara, Three Rivers Medical, Waikohu Health Centre. Taranaki Tama Tamatea , Taranaki network lead 027 212 6704 Tama joined the team in 2021. More details to come. Barbara Purdie , practice development facilitator 027 458 0099 I have been with Pinnacle for ten years with another five years' experience with Hauroa Taranaki PHO prior to the formation of the Pinnacle Midlands Health Network. While working at Haoura Taranaki PHO I held the roles of project lead/driver for mobile community health bus and community care coordinator. Before my roles in health I worked for 12 years with my husband as a business owner, while also volunteering within the disability sector of the community. I love the challenges this position brings and enjoy providing ongoing support, building relationships, promoting and working alongside the practices to implement sustainability.  Practices Central Medical Centre, City West Medical Centre, Devon Medical Centre, Eltham Health CentreDr Finnigan, Family Health Centre, Full Circle Medical, Healthspace, Moa Medical, Parklands Medical Centre, Phoenix Urgent Doctors, Powderham Medical Centre, Strandon Health, Tui Ora Family Health, Vivian Medical Centre, Waitara Health Centre. Vanessa Martin , practice development facilitator 027 270 9067 Vanessa joined the team in 2019. More details to come.  Practices Avon Medical Centre, Bellomo Family Health, Carefirst, Dr R G Radich, Eastside Medical Centre, Medicross Urgent Care & GP Clinic, Merrilands Medical Centre, Moturoa Medical Centre, Mountainview Medical, Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare, Ngāti Ruanui Patea Medical Centre, Oakura Medical Centre, Ōpunake Medical Centre, Regan Street Health Centre, Tūkapa Medical Centre. Waikato Helen Thomas , practice development facilitator 021 241 7301 Before joining Pinnacle in 2008 I managed a rural practice on the coast. I've held a few practice facing roles with Pinnacle. Prior to being a practice development facilitator I was in the Health Care Home team, supporting practices in the Lakes region to implement change to their model of care and create business efficiencies. I look forward to working back in the Waikato supporting practices to meet both their patient and business needs. Outside of work I enjoy living on the coast and the sense of balance that community living in small town New Zealand brings.  Practices Clarence Medical Centre, Coromandel Family Health Centre, Glenview Medical Centre, Hillcrest Medical Centre, Kāwhia Health Centre, Mercury Bay Medical Centre, Pauanui Health Centre, Raglan Medical, Tairua Medical Centre, Waihi Beach Medical Centre, Whangamatā Medical Centre.   Nikki Belfield , practice development facilitator 027 417 5617   I have been with Pinnacle for over 10 years now in various practice facing roles. I have a passion for supporting practices to develop great systems and processes to provide a high quality of care for patients whilst maintaining a great place for staff to work. I have a nursing background, previously practicing in a general practice for 12 years. My husband and I live between Pirongia and Te Awamutu with Chino, our Labradoodle. We have two grown up sons who have flown the coop. Practices Cambridge Medical Centre, Dr A E Pinfold (Duke St HMC), Dr K Pillay, Dr N P E Schofield, Hamilton East Medical Centre, Māhoe Med Limited, Ōtorohanga Med Ltd, Pfeffer Medical Services, Te Awamutu Medical Centre, Te Kūiti Medical Centre, Tokoroa Medical Centre. Yvonne Wright , practice development facilitator 021 826 693 I joined the practice development team in May 2020 having spent the past seven years working in a finance and support services role with a large general practice in Pukekohe, Auckland. I have had an extensive career in the health sector having worked in planning and funding at Counties Manukau DHB, as well as within PHO, Hospice and general practice environments. My roles have covered a variety of areas, including service development, contract management, business development and financial management. I’m looking forward to working with people within the Pinnacle network, supporting them in their efforts to continue building sustainable general practices focused on the supporting patients needs and helping people to stay healthy. I’m a born and bred Aucklander (sorry!). Having holidayed for many years in Raglan I’ve relocated there now and am looking forward to the relaxed lifestyle and enjoying being so near the beautiful beaches on a permanent basis. Practices Dallas Clinic, Dinsdale Medical Centre, Hauraki Plains Health Centre, Health Te Aroha, Little London Medical Clinic, Morrinsville Medical Centre, Redicare Family Practice, Student Health, Te Kauwhata Health Centre, Thames Medical Centre, Westend Health Centre, Wintec Health Services Zoe Pickering , practice development facilitator 022 519 0973 I'm originally from the UK and have worked within Pinnacle since 2014, originally joining the network as the Pinnacle membership coordinator. I moved across to the Health Care Home team in 2016 to work in change management within general practice. Here my passion for continuous improvement and all things LEAN began. I am also a huge advocate for practices to capture and listen to their patient voice. As a practice development facilitator I look forward to supporting practices in their journey of reviewing and improving their models of care to build efficiencies and improve the patient experience. Practices Northcare Grandview Road, Northcare Pukete/Thomas Roads, Huntly West Medical Centre, Beerescourt Medical Centre, Chartwell Health Centre, Fairfield Medical Centre, Flagstaff Medical Centre, Hakanoa Health Centre, River Road Family Practice, South City Health, Victoria Clinic. Specialist support GP liaison and clinical leads Dr Jo Scott-Jones, medical director I'm a GP owner with a practice in Opotiki, a community I've served since 1992. Since starting work with Pinnacle in September 2016 my clinical work has been in practices throughout the network. As medical director I have the privilege of being the voice of general practice on the leadership team, and the face of Pinnacle general practice on numerous local, regional and national bodies. I am driven to address inequities for rural communities, for Māori, and the poor, by the knowledge that general practice is essential for delivery of a high quality health system, and by a desire to develop a culture of joy in primary care. My main role is to lead clinical governance of the organisation, ensuring safe care, quality outcomes, great patient and provider experience. I run a monthly “clinical zoom” meeting, moderate the Pinnacle GPs Facebook group, and Tweet as @pinmhnMD . I also support the Pinnacle staff teams where I'm constantly bombarded with "just one quick question". I've had a long involvement in medical governance and have been the chair of the Rural General Practice Network, the inaugural chair of the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, and on the board of the RNZCGP. I've been an examiner for the RNZCGP, and a Cornerstone assessor. I am a regular contributor to the NZ Doctor magazine and produce The New Zealand General Practice podcast. (Look for the podcast in your service, such as Apple , Google or Spotify .) I suffered from multiple diplomatosis for a while , my most recent affliction a diploma in clinical education. I have a masters degree in general practice and have vowed never to do another university paper ever again!   Dr Maree McCraken, clinical director, primary mental health I'm a GP at South City Health in Hamilton, having completed my GP training in Dannevirke. I'm passionate about general practice and the relationships it allows health professionals to build with patients and whānau. I'm also particularly passionate about equity in access to primary care for our most vulnerable, and working to make sure that care is of high quality as well as being flexible and responsive. As clinical director for primary mental health I hope to represent the "GP voice" in decision making processes and develop relationships within the mental health sector to support those working in general practice. Dr Gishani Egan, Primary Options clinical lead Bio coming soon! Dr Bronwyn Campbell, education and youth health clinical lead I have worked as a GP in a variety of both rural and urban practices since I completed GP training in 1992. I started working at Piopio College in the King Country in 2003 and have enjoyed working in secondary schools since then. I am currently providing GP services in schools throughout the Waikato, including Oparure, Te Awamutu and Matamata. As GP lead for school based services I feel responsible for bringing a GP voice to discussions on youth health, including the DHB system level measures working group. In addition I hope to bring a youth focus to GP discussions. My main role, however, is to support the dedicated school based health service team of GPs and nurses. Dr Dave Mapleson, GP liaison, Waikato I have been a GP in Hamilton since 1986, initially in a two-doctor practice, then a large group practice and now practicing part-time. I also spent a year doing rural locums around New Zealand in 2005. An interest in medicolegal issues and patient safety led me to my current position as in-house advisor to the Health and Disability Commissioner, and I am involved in GP education as chief examiner for the RNZCGP written exams. I enjoy the contact with colleagues my Pinnacle GP liaison role allows and together with the rest of the practice support team we aim to provide practical assistance to your team wherever possible. Dr Sam Smith and Dr Katy Smith, GP liaison and GP locum service, Taranaki Sam and Katy will join the team in November 2020.  Dr Mike Tombleson, GP liaison, Lakes I've been a GP in Taupō's Lake Surgery for the last 27 years and was a practice owner till 2017. I've also been a GP liaison for Pinnacle for the last 10 years. My 'other hats' have included being a CME provider for the Taupō GP community for the last 20 years for RNZCGP and later for Pinnacle. I'm a registrar/student teacher also. I currently provide GP liaison support for practices in Taupō, Turangi, Taumarunui and Rotorua. I'm been excited to be part of the Health Care Home team since 2016, supporting all Taupō/Turangi practices implementing the Health Care Home model. Dr Liza Fairbairn, GP liaison, Tairawhiti Liza is new to the team in 2020, read more in her introduction article . Nursing support Jan Adams, nursing director My career in health spans forty five years - and I've seen enormous change to health systems during that time! Before joining Pinnacle I was the managing director for Bupa villages and aged care in Australia and New Zealand, and was Bupa’s global chief nurse. Prior to my work with Bupa I worked at Waikato DHB for eight years, as the chief operating officer. I was closely involved in the redevelopment programme as well as managing the operational and financial day to day performance of the provider arm.  I am a registered nurse and midwife and have held various senior nursing and management posts in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. I was a member of the Nursing Council of New Zealand for five years and until recently was a board member of the New Zealand Aged Care Association and the national Aged Care Steering Group, having also represented nursing on the national InterRAI board. Outside of work, I enjoy reading and spending time at home after living and working away from home for the past five years. Nursing leads Catherine Tobin BSc (Hons) Nursing Kia ora, I joined Pinnacle as a nurse lead in the Waikato region in April 2022. I moved to Aotearoa from Ireland in 2017 with my husband and two daughters. We are now happily settled in Ōhaupō, Kirikiriroa. I trained as a nurse in London, qualifying in 2001. My career so far has included working and gaining qualifications in nursing and leadership in the UK, Ireland and now New Zealand. My qualifications have included awards in developing safe environments in healthcare, assessment of registered vaccinators and first line management. I have worked as a registered nurse in Waikato Hospital, primary care (Māhoe Medical) and most recently for the Immunisation Advisory Centre as a COVID-19 vaccine educator. Overseas I mainly worked in acute care services both urban and rural.  I am dedicated to driving change that will result in better health outcomes for the people of Aotearoa and recognise the efforts of those doing the mahi. I greatly acknowledge the work done by primary care nurses during the pandemic and the ongoing challenges this sector is facing. The expanding scope of primary care nursing is exciting and needs to be championed. I hope to play some part in developing this legacy for the nurses of the future to take further. I look forward to working collaboratively with the various programmes in this sector with access and equity being a priority. In the meantime please feel free to email or call me if I can be of any help. Ngaire Signal RGON, PG Dip Health & Social Practice Prior to starting work for Pinnacle I worked as a registered nurse and nursing team leader in general practice for over 15 years. A change of direction found me working in Australia for 18 months, in a range of outback placements, as a registered nurse and clinical manager. A challenging time, but great opportunity to experience some rural and remote services and care delivery to indigenous populations.  Moving to Pinnacle in the role of nurse liaison from 2011-2015 involved providing professional leadership and peer support for nurses, participating in formalised practice team support, and supporting the implementation of local, network and community based clinical projects. In 2015, I moved into a role of change management/nursing/practice support, in the Health Care Home team, working with practices on a different model of care delivery in general practice. One of my key areas of work during this time was proactive health planning for high care needs patients, one of the core elements of the Health Care Home. Being in the nurse lead role since July 2020 has been a great opportunity to become more involved with growing nursing practice and leadership. I have a keen interest in professional supervision and supporting nurses to work to their best. My sound understanding of general practice and primary health care, along with the development of many key relationships, will, I hope, make a positive difference towards nurses delivering effective and sustainable primary health care. Jessica Knight MA, PGDip, BSc(Hons) RN. Tēnā tātou katoa, Nō England ōku tūpuna, ko Aotearoa tōku kāinga, e mihi ana ki te haukāinga o Taranaki. Welcome to you all, my ancestors are from England, I live in Taranaki, I acknowledge the home people of Taranaki. I joined Pinnacle in November 2020 as a nursing lead - Taranaki supporting all things nursing through clinical leadership. I have lived in New Zealand, Ngāmotu, Taranaki with my whānau since 2010 and my two sons have enjoyed growing up and being schooled alongside their New Zealand cousins. I have been a registered nurse since 1991. My career has spanned both primary / secondary / community care from England to the USA (Los Angeles – California) and now finally settling here in New Zealand as a registered nurse. I have a passion for education, health and wellness which was the subject of my Masters Degree. The focus of my Post Graduate Diploma was healthcare ethics and law so I feel compelled to strive to ensure the voice of the sick is heard and listened too, with the aim of ensuring equitable care. Putting that aside I love nothing better than a tricky wound or a good urgent care triage moment still. Now there are three of us in nursing lead positions there is enormous opportunity to support and grow nursing, both across the Pinnacle region and nationally. Nursing lead activities Te Ao Māori guides us in our mahi and aligns with our values: Whanaungatanga (you know us/me, we know you, we continue to build  a strong connection); Manaakitanga (when we are connecting we are respectful and welcoming and mindful of each other and our culture); kotahitanga (working together as one, as a nursing voice and workforce); whakapapa (the story we create individually and collectively as a nursing whānau). Working across the Pinnacle network to support over 450 nurses (Waikato, Lakes, Taranaki, Tairāwhiti) to grow and support nursing. This includes: supporting professional development workforce development service development for nursing and non-clinical roles co-facilitating peer groups, hosting leadership series, nurse focused forums and social media to keep nurses connected and supported supporting the Pinnacle graduate nurse programme which partners with the DHB NETP programmes co-facilitators for the Midland Collaborative designated RN prescriber in community health training programme co-facilitators for the Midland region Mātanga Tapuhi NP and nurse prescriber peer groups supporting collaboration and sharing knowledge and expertise as members of health provider partner forums to enable equitable, accessible, timely  services provided by nurses, to patients and whānau in a culturally responsive way forum members supporting collaboration and expertise between nursing education and training providers to ensure programmes meet current and future requirements. Clinical governance Michelle Bayley, clinical governance programme manager  Bio coming soon! For more information Katie Latimer, General Manager - Strategic Development Katie.Latimer@pinnacle.health.nz

The Pinnacle practice development team have feet on the ground in each locality to ensure practices are supported in the best possible way.

In addition to local support, there is a networked team of specialists to call in to meet all development goals for your practice.

You can get in touch directly with your practice development facilitator or locality lead with the details provided below.